B9707-001: (PhD) Organization Theory

This course is an introduction to the major theoretical approaches and debates in organizational theory, which draws primarily on sociology and secondarily on economics, psychology, and political science to explain the basic building blocks of modern society. The purpose of this course is to provide you a roadmap for you to roam the terrain of organizational theory. Accordingly, we will start with the classics and then trace the history of ideas as the field has evolved to the present.

Professor Abrahamson studies the creation, spread, use and rejection of innovative techniques for managing organizations and their employees. He is best known for his work on fads and fashions in management techniques. He is also an expert on the management of organizational change. He has explored the topic of change management in Change Without Pain: How Managers Can Overcome Initiative Overload, Organizational Chaos...